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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29412123">Invite the Wild In</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/BriarLily/pseuds/thewayofthetrashcompactor'>thewayofthetrashcompactor (BriarLily)</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Star Wars Sequel Trilogy</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Anal Play, Body Calligraphy, Canon Universe, Dark Rey (Star Wars), Desert, Enthusiastic Consent, Established Relationship, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Flowers, Force Bond (Star Wars), Force Visions (Star Wars), Gratuitous Smut, Happy Ending, Human Sacrifice, Inappropriate Use of Lightsabers (Star Wars), Lightsaber Used as a Sex Toy (Star Wars), Memories, Monster Rey (Star Wars), Planet Jakku (Star Wars), Plants, Plants as bondage, Porn With Plot, Power Couple, Regrowth, Restraints, Senator Kylo Ren, Sex Magic, Sith Magic &amp; Rituals (Star Wars), Size Difference, Space Politics, Switch Ben Solo, Switch Rey (Star Wars), Switching, The Force, Vaginal Sex, Vines, and it's not anyone important so it's fine right, it's complicated - Freeform, kind of, only a little though</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 11:21:57</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>9,301</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29412123</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/BriarLily/pseuds/thewayofthetrashcompactor</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Kylo Ren, the mysterious senator who appeared from out of the deserts of Jakku and somehow brought them back to life, has spent a long and unproductive session on Hosnian Prime. Now, it's time to go home. After all, there's someone waiting for him and so much for them to do together.</p><p>(The ancient Sith had some <i>interesting</i> rituals.)</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Rey/Ben Solo, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>74</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>To Find Your Kiss: The Reylo Fanfiction Anthology's Valentine's Day Exchange</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">
      <li>For <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/midwinterspring/gifts">midwinterspring</a>.</li>



    </ul><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>So excited to be a part of the exchange! I took pieces from a few prompts here, and I'll get the second part up this week.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>A plain of riotous color spreads endlessly before him. He walks through it, letting his fingers brush over the petals of flowers that seem to reach up to him, blossoming even before his eyes. Sand crunches under his feet as the sun beats down from above, spreading warmth over his skin. The perfume of heat-baked wildflowers fills the air, strong enough to sting his senses. His legs carry him further towards the horizon, pulled there. He’s meant to be here; he feels it in the tug of the Force at his very core. There’s something --</em>
</p><p>
  <em>A nudge at the back of his mind and he stops. His heart pounds. </em>
</p><p>
  <em>“Ben,” a familiar voice says, and his soul sings in answer. </em>
</p><p>The chime of a comm brings Ben back to the present, in his office of the Senate building. With a scowl, he checks the device, and his irritation eases when he sees that, at last, the confirmation he’s been waiting for has arrived. He sends a quick response, forwards the final details, then tucks the comm away. The Senate will be in recess for at least a month, and he has plans for that time that don’t involve the bureaucracy of the New Republic. </p><p>He stands from his desk and brushes down his robes. There’s little here he intends to bring with him, but he gathers a few datapads and personal effects and stashes them in his outer pockets along with his comm. His hand passes over his saber, secure on his belt. Both his fellow senators and his uncle disapprove of him carrying it, for opposing reasons: that he is both too much and not enough of a Jedi. He hasn’t needed it in the Senate building yet, but neither has he needed either the other senators’ or his uncle’s approval, so it hasn’t left his side for the last few years he’s spent holding his position. </p><p>Ben looks up as he hears the sound of someone approaching in the hall. A moment later, his mother’s protege, Finn, appears in the doorway. He has an uncanny ability to appear at the most opportune time, an ability that isn’t a coincidence. Like his mother, the man is a strong Force-sensitive who uses his skills in the Senate instead of chasing the dregs of the Jedi Order. They share a nod in greeting, and Finn looks him over, taking everything in. </p><p>“Leaving, Senator Ren?” he asks, though he already knows the answer.</p><p>“Finally,” Ben responds, letting some of his earlier irritation seep into his voice.</p><p>Finn huffs a laugh. “The Rodians kept you waiting again?”</p><p>“Yes,” Ben growled. “Next time, instead of sitting around, maybe I’ll go over to his office and wring the answers out of him myself.”</p><p>“I’m sure you wouldn’t be the first to try it.” Finn leans on the doorway, arms crossed idly over his chest.</p><p>“Clearly the lesson hasn’t sunk in,” Ben says. He glances around his office, checking he hasn’t missed storing anything sensitive for his absence. That done, he joins Finn at the door. “And how is Senator Organa handling the representatives from Ryloth stepping back from her negotiations?”</p><p>Finn shrugs, stepping into the hallway. Ben follows him and they begin walking together. "We knew it was a possibility when we started this whole effort. It's a pain, and there's several things she'd like to say to them that she can't, but we'll push this agreement through one way or another."</p><p>Ben smirks. "I don't doubt it."</p><p>They reach an intersection where their paths diverge. They pause and clasp each other's forearms in farewell. </p><p>"Tell my mother I'll come to see her after the recess," Ben says, and Finn nods.</p><p>"I will. She misses you, but she understands." He pauses, glancing around before he continues. "And would you tell your lady back home I said hello? I'd like to come back again sometime, when I can get free of this place."</p><p>Ben gives Finn a quick smile and squeezes his arm before stepping back. "I will," he echoes. "Comm before you come, but I think she'd like to see you. She's done a lot, you should see how much it's changed."</p><p>"I've heard, it sounds incredible." Finn smiles back. "I won't keep you. I'm sure you're eager to get back, and I wouldn't keep you from her."</p><p>Ben's teeth flash in a rare grin. "I don't think anyone could. She wouldn't stand for it." It feels odd to be able to joke about something so personal, after so many years keeping such things locked inside, but Finn has more than proven his discretion. Ben trusts him as much as anyone in the galaxy, aside from two others. He gives him a final nod. "I'll pass on your greeting. Be well."</p><p>"May the Force be with you," Finn says in response. </p><p>Ben can't resist a last dry comment over his shoulder: "It usually is."</p><p>Finn's low laugh follows him as he strides through the hallways out to the senatorial hangar. He doesn't pass anyone else on the way, the building already nearly cleared out in the wake of a particularly long session. </p><p>Most spots in the hangar have already been cleared too, and he walks past rows of empty bays on his way to his own. As one of the newest senators, his bay is nearly at the end of the hangar, which suits his preference for easy access to the exit. He passes Rose, Finn's wife and his mother's head mechanic, arguing with Jannah, one of her pilots, alongside the <em>Mirrorbright</em>, which is still docked with a side panel hanging open. He raises a hand and they wave back, though none of them pause in their tasks. </p><p>The <em>Grimtaash </em>awaits him a short distance from the portal to the sky outside, sitting alone among the empty bays of the less distinguished senators. Ben lowers the ramp and climbs in, making his way up to the cockpit. As he sets the familiar coordinates in the navicomputer, anticipation starts to curl through his chest. All the days he spends on Hosnian Prime only lead back to this. </p><p>With easy skill, he starts the ship and guides it out of the hangar. He navigates through the skies and out into the darkness beyond. A few flicks of the controls, and the <em>Grimtaash</em> lurches into hyperspace. </p><p>The journey from Hosnian Prime in the Core out to the Western Reaches isn't the longest Ben has to make, but it's made longer by Ben's impatience. He resents every minute he has to spend speeding through the emptiness between planets, but even his significant connection to the Force can't get around that. He tries all his usual distractions: meditating, training, reading, sleeping. Nothing holds his attention for long, and the restless energy running through him only builds. </p><p>By the time the ship drops out of hyperspace, he's itching to get down to the planet's surface, unable to keep still. He approaches the planet at a higher speed than might be considered strictly safe, but no one in this corner of the galaxy is likely to care. </p><p>Despite his impatience, he still takes time for a quick pass over the surface of the planet, eager to see what's changed since he left. He finds Orkoon easily, the city where they'd begun the restoration rising like a hive from the desert. A large lake borders it, with a wide river trailing south. Other cities and towns gather on its banks, and greenery spreads around them. A forest clings to one edge of the lake, its trees preceded by sturdy plains whose grass steadily encroaches out into the sand beyond. </p><p>Satisfaction floods Ben at the sight, so different from the Jakku he'd crashed onto all those years ago. Deserts still claim much of the planet, but they've only just begun to discover the full extent of their potential together. All at once, he can't delay any longer. He guides his ship out across the desert, flying until the last hints of green fade from the horizon. A plateau lifts from the desert like the hand of some ancient god, his destination at last. </p><p>In the palm of the plateau sits an ancient temple made of weathered black stone. The way the sand around it creeps up the sides makes it appear as if it rose out of the desert, something Ben knows isn't far from the truth. He sets the <em>Grimtaash</em> down at the edge of the plateau, barely taking time to go through the shut down procedures. His heart pounds as he descends from the ship into the welcoming desert. </p><p>The hot air outside quickly banishes the chill of space travel. It sits still and expectant, no wind stirring, as if the desert is holding its breath, waiting. Knowing what he does, Ben thinks perhaps it is. His outer robe billows around him as he strides towards the temple, anticipation thrumming through him. </p><p>The walls of the temple loom over him as he approaches, stained dark and weathered with thousands of years. The place has its own atmosphere that gathers around it, condensing thickly in the wide open plain. Ben breathes in deeply, and the slight metallic tang to the air sits at the back of his mouth. Ancient whispers tease at his ear in long-dead languages that he feels more than understands. </p><p>
  <em>Lawless. Deviant. Chain-breaker. </em>
</p><p>Threads of the Force reach out to try to tangle him, reaching past his limbs to twine around his heart and mind. Years ago, they might have succeeded, but their efforts fall away from him like sand through an open hand. They know by now that they won’t gain purchase in him: he’s found a more powerful calling. </p><p>Ben keeps his gaze fixed ahead as he ascends the few wide stone steps leading into the temple, sand crunching against the stone under his feet. The shadows of the temple consume him completely, leaving only the ghost of the desert’s warmth on his skin. Tall columns line the inside, stretching into darkness overhead, surrounding the massive altar in the center. The slab of black stone rises to the level of his hips and stretches nearly as wide as his arms. Glimpses of the desert outside can be seen through the columns, but the barrier between the worlds is clear. The planet is no more than a voyeur to the rituals performed inside. </p><p>Ben comes to a stop in front of the altar, heart pounding as the knowledge of what comes next settles over him. The desert holds its breath as the voices in the temple rise to an almost tangible murmur, but both go silent when Ben speaks a single word: </p><p>
  <em>“Rey.”</em>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>So sorry for the delay! I truly do not know what happened to this week. </p><p>I split this part in two because it was bothering me that it wasn't even, but I swear the last (longest) chapter will be up tomorrow.</p><p>TW this chapter for mentions of space slavery and the stormtroopers being child soldiers (nothing not in canon but head's up)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The silence lasts the space of a breath, and then the desert answers. Wind picks up from nowhere, swirling around the temple. Sand rises from the ground and is lifted far into the air, forming an impenetrable wall around the structure. Grains fly in between the columns, slowly at first, then all at once in great streams of golden particles. The streams form a whirlpool with the space in front of Ben at its heart. He should be covered, but he remains completely untouched as the sand gathers and swirls before him in a column that climbs to the ceiling before collapsing down to a height just below his nose. The heart of the storm draws tighter, condensing until there’s no space left, and then as quickly as it started, the wind stops. The sand collapses to the floor, falling away from the woman who’s appeared in their midst.</p><p>She smiles up at him, the expression as blinding as the desert sun. “Ben,” she says. She holds her arms out and they collapse into each other. </p><p>Their lips find each other on instinct, eager and desperate. Rey’s lips press hard to Ben’s, her whole body glowing with the warmth of the desert. His tongue sweeps out to taste it, the salt and sweat and sun-sharp tang of her. Rey sweeps into the opening, never letting an opportunity pass her by, and their tongues tangle in a familiar rhythm. Rey’s strong arms twine around Ben’s neck, pulling him down to her, while his settle around her waist. He pulls her against him, bending her slim frame against his until no space remains between their bodies. A pleased growl rumbles from Rey’s throat, and her mouth devours his with renewed intensity.</p><p>Their greeting stretches into minutes, both of them too starved from the time apart to let go easily. When their lips finally separate, they don't go far. Their arms still twine around each other, bodies separated only by their clothes. Ben has kept his layers, not bothering to change from his Senate garb, while Rey has only barely bothered to materialize clothes for herself, loose wraps held on by a leather belt. She radiates heat through his robes, and he relaxes into her, even as his heart beats a rapid pace against his chest. </p><p>“I missed you,” she says, her breath gusting like the desert wind across his lips. Their mouths brush again as he replies.</p><p>“And I you.” He lowers his head to nuzzle into the curve of her neck, breathing deeply of the spiced scent of her skin. He mouths at the sensitive spots he knows so well and she hums in pleasure, tilting her head to give him more room. </p><p>“Was your time away worth it?” she asks. Her fingers play with the hair at the back of his neck, where it’s free from the braids that hold it away from his face.</p><p>He makes an ambivalent noise, still not moving away from her neck. “The Senate was useless as always. I’ve been attempting to pass a resolution to stand against the First Order, but they won’t even agree to condemn their kidnapping of child soldiers, which a third won’t agree exist, another third claim don’t count as they’re from outside the Republic, and the last third support.”</p><p>Rey’s expression hardens. “And your mother?” she asks. </p><p>Ben sighs. “She tries. She has her loyalists, and she runs her little Resistance, but it’s not enough. Most of the Senate trusts her even less than they do me after the Vader scandal. At least they can believe I materialized from the sands of Jakku to save the planet without any of that pesky history.” He pulls back and flashes a grin. “Some of them suspect the truth, but they’re far too frightened to say it.”</p><p>Rey laughs. “I doubt any of them could imagine anything close to the truth.”</p><p>“True,” Ben agrees. “It is not a group blessed with imagination outside their small planets.”</p><p>“All the more reason to leave them to be consumed by the First Order and stay with me,” Rey teases.</p><p>Ben’s lips quirk. “As much as we would both prefer that, my time there didn’t prove entirely useless.”</p><p>“Oh?” Rey’s eyes spark with interest.</p><p>Ben hums in agreement. “While the Senate refused to take action, I was able to dig deeper and discover a few more connections. If all goes well, the First Order’s next weapons shipment will not find its destination. And during the next session, the senator from Arkanis may suffer a tragic accident.”</p><p>Rey laughs again. “I suppose I can’t tie you down and keep you here forever with those kinds of results.”</p><p>Ben grins. “Now, I didn’t say that.” He swoops in for another kiss, one that quickly heats and lingers. Rey’s teeth drag along his lower lip as she draws back. “What have I missed here?” he asks once freed.</p><p>She shrugs. "Nothing out of the ordinary. The Red Key Raiders sent another group after I dealt with the last one for trying to kidnap scavengers for their mines, but they were easy enough to handle." Her teeth flash as her lips curl in a smile. </p><p>Ben chuckles. "I'm sure they didn't even know what happened."</p><p>"Not until it was too late." She sighs. "Maybe this time the raiders will learn. If not, I'll take care of the next lot just as easily.”</p><p>“I’m sorry they didn’t give you more of a challenge,” Ben says, still smiling. </p><p>“It’s alright.” She smirks up at him. “I saved the real excitement for when you got back.”</p><p>He smirks back and his hands drift a little lower. “Oh?”</p><p>“I’ve been working out on the Sinking Fields again,” she explains, her eyes sparkling with excitement. “It’s a lot of space, but the damage runs deep. I may be able to get something to grow there eventually, but I realized it could be a lot more useful if we could start an ocean there.” </p><p>“An ocean?” Ben’s brows raise. “You could do that?”</p><p>“Not easily,” she admits. “We’ve started repairing things, but it’s been so long that it’s hard to budge. But --” Her smile turns sly. “With you here to help, we could pull it apart together, take care of it all at once.” Her fingers trace along his jaw as her knowing gaze meets his.</p><p>“I see,” he muses, his body pricking with interest at her implication. He’s been part of Rey’s work since they took the first steps to undo the damage done to Jakku countless millennia ago, and he’s eager to join with her like that again. “Should I start work on a new ritual then?”</p><p>Rey shakes her head. “I’ve been thinking about that. I can’t read the texts like you do, but I don’t think it’s the ritual that has to change. I’m still the conduit to the planet, I’ll just use the energy we draw differently, like we did before Orkoon.”</p><p>“I have no objections to revisiting that,” Ben murmurs, leaning down to nip at Rey’s ear. He feels her laugh where her chest presses against his. </p><p>“I didn’t think you would. Do you remember the sigils?” </p><p>“Burned into my heart and hands,” he swears. </p><p>Rey shivers, biting her lip as she watches him. “Perfect.” </p><p>With a last lingering carass along his jaw, she steps away. His arms are slow to release her, though he knows he’ll hold her even more intimately soon. </p><p>“Now?” he asks.</p><p>She rolls her shoulders. “Why not?”</p><p>He has nothing to say to that. Standing before him, her hands swiftly drop to the thin strips of leather wrapped around her waist, holding her wraps in place. With practiced fingers, she undoes the ends where they’re tucked into each other and lets the leather fall to the floor. She barely has to brush her hands over her shoulders for the wraps crossing her body to join the belt. </p><p>Ben can’t stop his gaze from sweeping over her, taking in her bare golden skin. Freckles dot her cheeks and shoulders, drawing his eyes down to her chest. Her small breasts form slight curves on her lean frame, and his hands itch to cup them. Her nipples pucker in the open air, reminding him of how they feel against his tongue. His gaze skims over her stomach, tight with muscle, and down to the curls between her legs. He wants to push her back onto the altar and spread her strong thighs, but Rey distracts him before he can follow through. </p><p>“I haven’t changed since you last saw me,” she teases.</p><p>"I know," he rumbles, voice gaining a slight growl. "But maybe I should check --"</p><p>Laughing, she pushes his chest. "Go get the ink. You can see everything once you've started."</p><p>He grabs her hand to press a kiss to it before letting her go to walk around the altar. A squat black chest made out of the same stone sits against the wall at the back of the temple, and he bends over to open it. There's no lock, since no one else besides the two of them would dare enter the temple, if the spirits would even let them. </p><p>Once he sets the heavy lid aside, he finds the objects he needs precisely where he left them. He withdraws a glass vial filled with a dark liquid that clings to the sides and a brush made of polished dark wood with a cluster of soft bristles. Holding them brings a rush of memories, back to when he and Rey first imagined the possibilities of what they could do together. He'd made the brush while she made the ink and together they'd pieced together the Sith rituals used to drain the life from Jakku all those eons ago. </p><p>He replaces the lid on the chest and takes the ink and brush with him. As he walks back to Rey, now sitting naked on the edge of the altar, he's reminded of their first time together like this. His steps hadn't been sure then; his hands had been shaking. Rey was more confident, but she hadn't possessed the control she does now. She'd barely held onto her physical form through the ceremony, the whispers of the Sith and the planet doing their best to tear her apart. </p><p>Each step towards Rey takes him further back in their memories, and he lets them wash over him, clearing his mind for what comes next. He remembers the first burst of life after they finally succeeded in channeling the Force together, the incredible rush that came with cracking open the hold of long-dead cultists over the world. Another step and he remembers the strain in his body as they'd dragged the temple from the sands of the Plaintive Hand together, then the budding curiosity as they'd begun to explore the tangled weave of the planet's Force signature, long corrupted. </p><p>One more and grief claims him as he remembers begging Rey to come with him, promising her anything in the galaxy if only she'd leave Jakku so they could stay together. Rey's own tears,  the first he'd seen from her, as she explained that she couldn't and revealed that she was so much more than he'd realized. Everything she'd told him was true: her parents had abandoned her as a child, promising to come back, and she'd scrounged in the desert to survive. What she hadn't told him was how, after a storm that lasted a week past the end of her water supply, she'd gone out until the howling winds to try to save herself. The desert was unforgiving and tried to swallow her whole, like it'd done to so many before her, but instead of letting herself be claimed, she'd stretched out with the Force as far as she could reach, clawing desperately for anything that could save her. She'd found the core of the planet and latched on, clinging for life. The planet, long dormant, had woken and recognized her,  fierce and damaged and unwilling to die. She bound herself to Jakku and walked out of the storm alive, more than she had been, but no longer the same. </p><p>He remembers the months of research that followed, digging up texts forgotten by everything but the Force, tracing back to that one implacable fact: that if she couldn't go to see the green planets of the galaxy, they would have to bring them to her. </p><p>Several more steps take him back through the months they'd spent in the desert together, before either of them knew what would come, when he only knew she was strong with the Force in a dangerous way, like him. It was so easy then, even when he thought they were fighting for their lives against the desert, but what they have now is so much <em>more</em>. </p><p>He's walked along the long edge of the altar, and Rey watches him as he approaches, eyes bright and knowing. His next to last step brings echoes of anger and devastation and betrayal along with his first memories of Jakku, half-crashing his ship into the planet as he fled from his uncle’s temple. </p><p>His final step brings him before Rey. The past fades, rejoining the other memories sunk into the walls of the temple, and all that's left is her. She smiles up at him. </p><p>"Back with me?" she asks. </p><p>He leans in and presses a brief kiss to her lips. "Yes." He sets the ink and brush down on the altar to either side of her. "Are you ready?"</p><p>Rey lays back, spreading her arms wide across the altar. “Yes,” she echoes. Ben can’t resist reaching out to run a hand along her side, her skin warm and alive under his touch, though still muted through fabric. </p><p>“Gloves,” she reminds him. He pulls them off and drops them to the floor, then strips his outer robe to join them. His floor-length tunic comes next, and he kicks it to the side with the boots he tugs off. He’s left in skin-tight breeches, his chest bare to Rey’s appreciative gaze. He leaves the breeches in place, knowing from experience that his restraint will need the help as the ritual progresses. </p><p>He looks over Rey again, reclined naked and waiting for him. His throat goes dry at the sight and he has to clear it to speak. “Do you want me to tie you down?”</p><p>“Mm, I’ve got it,” Rey says. She closes her eyes. From the stone under her shoulders, two thin green vines emerge and loop around her arms. The vines twine around her again and again, climbing their way up to her wrists, leaves and small flowers blooming from them as they grow. They curl one last time over her palms then fall over the sides of the altar and disappear back into the stone, pinning Rey in place. She stretches, testing the bonds. The plants hold firm, though she could make them vanish as quickly as they appeared if she needed to. Her eyes meet his, and he knows she’s ready.</p><p><em>“Ja'ak,”</em> she whispers. The word echoes in the empty temple, and he feels the spirits trapped there stop their restless movement to listen.</p><p>
  <em>"I am free."</em>
</p><p>The ritual begins. </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Next chapter will have a few content warnings at the top, so make sure to check those before reading when it's up.</p><p>Reviews are always appreciated! And midwinterspring, I hope you like it &lt;3</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Last chapter! Lots going on, mind the tags as always. Hopefully I got everything, but let me know if not.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Ben pulls the stopper out of the ink and sets it aside, then picks up the brush. He dips it in the ink and swirls it around, letting the liquid coat the bristles. As he pulls the brush out, he lets it drag along the side of the vial, the excess ink dripping back down, thick and dark. He positions himself between Rey’s legs, spread over the edge of the altar, and leans over her body. His hand comes to rest on her shoulder, against where the vine holds her left arm to the table. He holds the brush a breath above her skin, a canvas bare and waiting for his touch. The metallic scent of the ink fills the air between them, entrancing in the almost physical memories of past rituals it brings with it. Rey’s chest barely moves under his hand as she waits for him to begin.</p><p>He can’t draw the moment out any longer. He lowers the brush to her skin and drags it down, painting the downstroke of the first rune in the incantation. Rey draws in a quick breath, the ink cool and wet on her skin. He moves carefully, completing the rune and moving to the next without smudging the ink. It shines with a dark red gleam in the shadowed light of the temple before slowly drying to a void-like darkness. Ben finishes the first line of the ritual, the runes spreading across Rey’s chest just above her heart.</p><p>
  <em>Taka zeech ma toka duuwaj.</em>
</p><p>No translation, a key to open the secrets of the Force they use for their own purposes. He returns to the vial for more ink and starts the next line as the first dries above. The first of the barriers begin to fall and he feels the edge of the core of the Force at the heart of Jakku. It reaches out to the Force within him, his soul born of green places, mountains and endless lakes. The planet hungers for those worlds, calling to him in the same way Rey does, desperate to claim him for her own. Jakku takes form in Rey, and she makes the planet hers. </p><p>Energy sparks between them, small bursts of lightning as his hands move over her skin. More than Jakku or the whims of the Force connect them. With anyone else, they'd have to hold back and leash the full extent of their power, but there's nothing restrained between the two of them. They've each found themselves torn open and left empty to the other, no secrets, no passion, nothing in the galaxy left uncovered. Exposed like this through the raw essence of the Force means nothing is lost between them. Ben senses the power building in Rey's veins, the small movements of her body as she struggles to stay still under his brush, the gathering heat in her core as she responds to the tease of his touch. </p><p>He finishes the text on her shoulder and moves down to the swell of her breast. The runes follow the lines of her body and curve around it, and he takes his time drawing on the sensitive flesh. Rey's movements grow more pronounced as the text spirals up from the base of her breast, around and around as it draws closer to the puckered tip. He leans in close as he works, letting him warm breath ghost against the wet ink. The vines springing from the altar hold Rey's arms in place, but they do nothing to restrain her chest, and Ben's canvas heaves with her quick breaths as he paints. </p><p>With a last flourish, he finishes the final rune on this section, teasing the edge of her areola, and lifts the brush for more ink. Her nipple sits pink and perfect at the center of the circles of dark runes, and he can't resist brushing it with his thumb before he pulls back to begin on the other side. </p><p>Rey arches into the touch, gone before she can demand more. She makes a sound of frustration that goes right to Ben’s cock. He would never deny her anything, but there's an order to these things. </p><p>"Patience," he soothes, though they both know how much pleasure he takes in drawing this out. Almost as much as she does when she has him pinned down. </p><p>"Easy for you to say," she grumbles, aware of just how far they have yet to go. </p><p>He allows himself a brief grind of his clothed erection against her thigh. "Not so easy." </p><p>Lust sparks in Rey's eyes, but she settles as he draws the first rune on her right side. She manages to stay mostly still as he works his way across her shoulder, but starts to squirm again as he begins the spiral up her other breast. He braces one hand on her still bare stomach, holding her in place. Her muscles tense and relax in waves under his touch but the pressure keeps her steady enough for him to finish the first circle. </p><p>His hand moves up, finding the bare strip between her breasts as he continues the spiral. It takes concentration on his part to keep the runes even around the curves, something that’s hard to find with Rey’s naked body under his hands and her arousal building between them. Her delicate skin dimples under the brushstrokes, and he wants to explore the reaction further. His brush is the only point of contact with her breasts though, leaving dark lines in its wake. Her puckered nipple begs for his mouth as he matches her second breast to her first, but he leaves it untouched, to both their disappointment. </p><p>He breathes deeply as he draws back from her chest, admiring the even rows encircling her breasts. Rey arches against her bonds, thrusting her chest towards him, and he runs a soothing hand down her side. With the way the Force sparks between them, the gesture only increases the tension between them, their need a physical thing through their bond. He rests his hand on her hip, rubbing a thumb over the hollow there. He gathers more ink, then starts on the large arcs of text to cover her stomach. The lines here curve from one side to the other, narrowing down to center above her core. </p><p>He inks over the ridges and valleys formed by her ribs, the strokes coming more quickly now. His free hand braces her as he moves to keep the text even, but he’s further from her restraints here and closer to the part of her that aches for his touch. He aches too, wanting to toss the brush aside and plunge his fingers into the wet core of her, but he knows Rey wants the ritual completed far more than she wants a quick release. It doesn’t stop her from writhing under his touch or hold back the noises of pleasure that fall from her mouth. Each movement and sound increases his own need, and he has to keep himself from grinding against the altar to find relief. </p><p>His hands draw closer to the center of her and he can smell the wetness dripping from her and pooling on the altar. His mouth feels parched, desperate to bury his face between his thighs and drink from her. A small groan tears from him at the thought, and Rey’s body jolts in response.</p><p>“Ben,” she moans. </p><p>“I know,” he murmurs, head spinning as he tries to focus on each next stroke. </p><p>Rey doesn’t make it easy. “I’m so ready,” she says, her voice hoarse.</p><p>His brush nearly slips, and he has to pause for several deep breaths to gather himself and keep from making a mistake. “I know,” he says again once he regains his voice. He goes slowly through the next few runes. Rey’s stomach moves under his brush as she speaks again. </p><p>“I need something, Ben, I can’t wait,” she begs. Ben hears the truth of her words, the immense power building in her body, the desperate need it creates as she channels it and holds it in readiness. She's pulling more now than they've ever tried before. Her thighs clench and tremble on either side of his hips. He’s sure that if he sunk his fingers into her now, he could feel the ripple of her inner muscles as her channel tightens. </p><p>“I hear, sweetheart, hold on for me a moment longer.” He ruthlessly centers himself, focusing his mind entirely on the remembered runes to finish this section so he can give her some relief. They’re not quite halfway done, but he can do something for her before starting the second part, even if it’s not what she needs. </p><p>His brushstrokes grow less precise as he arcs over her belly button and draws ever closer to the curls between her legs, though he never slips entirely. He has to keep one hand on her thigh to prevent her from bucking him off. The amount of skin on her front he can brace himself on grows smaller and smaller, filling up with glistening dark runes. A plaintive cry tears its way from Rey’s throat as he inks the final rune just above her sex. </p><p>“I’ve got you,” he says, as he swiftly lowers a hand between her legs. He only has to swipe his fingers along the seam of her before he’s soaked with her essence, enough to press inside her. He doesn’t have time to linger, and Rey is long past the need for a slow seduction. Her channel greedily takes his paired fingers, clenching around them. He nearly collapses over her at the sensation. He feels the echoes of the mingled power and arousal humming through her body, feeding on each other, and just that taste is enough to wind him. He’s constantly in awe of her strength, the way she takes the Force and wields it on her own terms. And he’ll never complain of the results. </p><p>“More,” Rey demands, thrusting back onto his hand. </p><p>He shakes his head even as everything in him screams for him to cast their plans aside and sink himself into her. “I can’t, we can’t, not yet,” he pants. </p><p>Rey makes an inarticulate sound of frustration, tendrils of the Force surging from her to wrap around him. She’s much further gone than she would usually be at this point, and he can only assume her plan is working. Still, he needs to give her something to carry her through. </p><p>Rey’s thoughts seem to be following a similar path, unsurprising with how connected they’ve become. Something rattles along the floor and bumps against his foot. He glances down and his eyes widen. </p><p>“Are you sure?” he asks breathlessly. She nods frantically, her hair tangling around her face. A bolt of almost painful lust shoots through him, and he has to grab the edge of the altar to brace himself. </p><p>Once he’s steady, he reaches down and pulls his saber free of his belt. The desert air has warmed the metal and it settles easily into his hand. He realizes as he hasn’t before just how large the weapon is, especially compared to Rey’s slim frame. </p><p>She seems to have no doubts though. Her thighs spread wider and her hips roll up towards him in invitation. “So empty,” she moans, and the plea sends any vague doubts not already obliterated by lust flying out of Ben’s head. </p><p>He can’t brace himself on her stomach the way he’d like to, so he settles for wrapping an arm around her thigh as he brings the saber between her legs. He starts by dragging the blunt end between her folds, keeping the opening pointed at himself. Her copious arousal clings to the metal, and it slides ever more easily against her. He glides it along her entrance, teasing her there with the promise of what’s to come, then up to her clit where she grinds her sensitive peak against the hard ridges. </p><p>“Ben.” Her voice is somewhere between plea and command. “Can’t wait, give it to me.”</p><p>He swallows. He returns his fingers inside of her, stretching and spreading in hasty preparation. With his saber angled against her clit, slick arousal drips down his fingers and palm, drawn from her with every thrust of his hand. She’s born of the desert but wetness flows from her like an oasis, a miracle that begs him to satiate his thirst. He fits a third finger into her channel, and her body grips around him. If she hadn’t been holding so tightly to her restraint, she would have come already, but instead her body hovers on the brink, tension wrapped around her. </p><p>A small cry escapes her as he adds a fourth finger. He feels their time running shorter. As strong as she is, even Rey has her limits. Her hips thrust against the combined barrage of his fingers and saber, and he knows she’s as ready as he can make her in the moment. He pulls his fingers free, immediately missing the tight clasp of her. His cock aches almost painfully in his trousers, but he keeps the sensation pushed to the back of his mind. Rey’s needs are what matter now. </p><p>He rests two fingers just inside her folds, keeping her spread open as he notches the end of the saber inside. The difference in size seems briefly ridiculous, but Rey tightens her calves around his legs, refusing to let him back away even without the use of her arms. </p><p>“Ben, <em>now</em>.” She says his name again in a tone layered with need.</p><p>He works the hilt into her slick entrance with quick, shallow strokes. He presses further each time until, somehow, the whole width of the weapon is sunk inside her. He pauses to stare in awe at the stretch of her folds around the metal, his most personal and prized possession fucking his other half. Rey starts squirming at the delay, and he apologizes with a circle of his thumb over her clit. He moves the saber more slowly now, pulling it out a little before pushing it back deeper. </p><p>Rey’s harsh pants echo above him. He glances up her body, her chest and stomach painted and heaving. “Okay, sweetheart?” he asks lowly. She nods, words no longer within her abilities. She reaches out to him through the Force instead, and he feels the way his saber fills the ache that’s been building inside her. It’s not the same as being connected with him, a thought that sends an absurd thrill through him, but with his kyber crystal, the closest thing to him, it’s almost enough. </p><p>It takes several more even strokes before he manages to sink his saber into her as deeply as it will go. He leaves it buried inside her and pets her thighs as they tremble around him. One hand creeps back between them and traces her strained folds, tight around the thickness of his weapon, finishing with another brief caress to her clit. Her hips jump and she cries out. She pants to regain her breath, then grits out two words: </p><p>“<em>Keep. Going.</em>”</p><p>With an effort, she tucks her feet up onto the altar, attempting to position herself for the next part. </p><p>“I’ve got you,” Ben murmurs. He splays his hands under her ass and carefully turns her over. Her bound hands cross above her head and she kneels with her ass in the air, his saber jutting from her, still tightly clenched in her cunt. He allows himself a long pass of his hand over her back, a graceful canvas displayed for him. </p><p>“Beautiful,” he praises. </p><p>She arches into his touch, slight impatience in the way she pushes against his hand. He smiles and takes up his brush in response. </p><p>He starts at her shoulder again, forming a new set of dark runes onto her golden skin. The connection through the Force is open to them now, and he feels it take shape with each new stroke. Rey grabs hold of the power coursing through them and holds it in wait, letting it fill her as she prepares for the final stage. </p><p>The runes blur together as he adds one line after another down the length of her back. It seems to go much more quickly now, everything building to that peak. He barely has to think about the next rune before it flows from his mind down through the brush and shapes itself on Rey’s skin. The ritual wants to be completed.</p><p>A slight tremble runs through Rey’s body as he nears the base of her spine. Between her spread legs, he can see as her channel clenches around his saber. He wants to return his hands there, truly fuck her with it, let her take her pleasure on it. Not yet. He inks his way across her buttocks, avoiding the slick folds begging for his touch. He’s not sure who his avoidance tortures more. So, so close now, they only need to hold out a little longer before the release. </p><p>He reaches the crease of her thighs and allows himself a breath of relief. Only the finishing touches to go. Tearing himself away from her, he walks around the table to reach her arms. The runes here come in fragments, short phrases that fit between and around the vines holding her in place. He finishes these with quick, jerking strokes, then returns between her legs to apply the final ink to her legs. His hand wraps around her thigh as he inscribes the last runes that wrap around her limbs, closing the loop between them. Once done, he sets the brush to the side and replaces the stopper in the ink. </p><p>With careful hands, he returns Rey to her back. Her skin nearly burns under his touch, fevered with the power running through her. Her limbs tremble, and he knows she’s reaching her limits. His own hands shake slightly as he lowers them between her legs. Rey’s hips shift as he takes hold of the saber, using him to drag herself in short thrusts along its length. He feels the echoes of pleasure sparking through her: the pressure, the friction, the fullness. </p><p>Rey moans, and Ben’s breath shudders out of him. He can’t wait any longer to replace the saber with himself. He gently pulls it free of her, but can’t bring himself to drop it to the side. The saber feels a part of the ritual now, the Force flowing through the kyber crystal at its heart. </p><p>“Use it,” Rey says, echoing his thoughts. He barely has time to wonder how before she pushes her hips up, exposing herself more fully to him. He’s fucked her puckered hole before, but not like this. </p><p>Preparing her for this goes much as he’d already done for her cunt. He presses fingers drenched with her arousal into her tight back passage, working her up one at a time until three fingers glide in and out. He uses them to spread her and notch the saber in, pressing with firm and even strokes until he fills her once more. Her ass takes the intrusion easier than it should; there’s something about Rey that makes it work. </p><p>They both take a second to adjust. “Ready?” Ben asks at last.</p><p>Rey nods, her eyes half closed. Her skin has a faint glow against the dark stone beneath her, like the strength of the life flowing through her is fighting to escape. </p><p>Ben rips off his trousers and basics and kicks them aside. His erection bobs free, and he could cry in relief. He takes himself in hand and steps up to the altar between Rey’s legs. He tugs her further down, careful not to disturb the runes covering her skin, and angles her hips to position himself at her entrance. Below, her body clings to his saber, the metal huge and hard.</p><p>The head of his cock sinks into Rey’s wet heat, and he has to grit his teeth to keep from losing his control instantly. Instead he leans further over her and braces one hand by her head, between her spread arms. His other holds himself in place as he pushes further inside her body, her eager channel welcoming his thick length. He fills her with a long, slow glide, feeling her spread for him bit by bit as they join. </p><p>His hips meet hers, and he barely keeps himself from collapsing over her entirely. He holds himself still. The only thing between them is the ink covering her body. Ben’s other hand joins his first above their heads, spread on the cool stone. </p><p>Rey’s heaving breaths even out as their bodies come together. Something nudges Ben’s hands, and he glances up to see the vines uncoiling from Rey’s arms and finding his instead. He looks down to see Rey grinning up at him. He’s completed his part, and she no longer has to hold back. The vines caress him as they climb up his arms, holding him in place. Now free, Rey twines her arms around his neck, pulling him down so that her lips find his. They devour each other, fueled by the forces flowing through them. Rey takes his mouth hungrily, her teeth dragging over his lips, her tongue pushing through to tangle with his. </p><p>In the middle of the ferocious kiss, Rey’s hips start to rock against his, fucking herself on his cock in small increments. The vines continue to climb up Ben’s body, past his shoulders and circling around his chest. They rub over his nipples and venture on, making huge loops around the entire width of him. The flowers and leaves brush teasingly against his skin, never letting him forget how they keep him right where Rey wants him. Rey’s strokes grow longer, letting his cock slip further out of her before taking him back again deeper. The vines curve over his hips and start down his thighs. One makes a detour along his ass and presses just against the entrance there, sending him jolting into Rey. She giggles and does it again. He groans into their kiss. </p><p>Rey’s channel squeezes around him, endlessly slick and hot, and it takes all his concentration not to spill into her. The movements of her hips fall into an eager rhythm, never letting him withdraw too far before her legs pull him back again. He swears he can feel his saber filling her ass, the metal unyielding. His balls, drawn tight with need, brush against the part remaining outside of her as they rock together, need growing between them. His body is overwhelmed with sensations, Rey wrapped around his cock, her hands grabbing at him, mouth under his, her vines tightening around him, and then the Force sweeps over them all at once. </p><p>The runes covering Rey’s body flare and then freeze, pulling energy through them. Rey’s skin remains burning hot, and Ben feels like he’s being branded by the contrast. Line after line of the ancient text awakens and Rey nearly screams as the vast depths of Jakku open to her and the planet attempts to drag her down into itself. Ben sinks his teeth into her lip, forcing her back to him. His hips slam into hers, his cock filling her again and again with an inescapable physicality. </p><p>“Rey,” he whispers against her lips. She’s here, with him, stronger and hungrier than anything else in the galaxy. </p><p>Rey grapples with the energy swirling around her and through her, wrangling it into the shape she requires from it. She guides it through the runes he gave to her, forming it to her needs. The overwhelming tide of living Force from the planet narrows into a river that flows through Rey and out across the sands, finally gathering in the place she’s carved out for it beneath the Sinking Fields. Need coils tighter in her, and Ben angles himself to drag over her clit. Almost there. </p><p>The reservoir she’s created begins to fill, but it’s not yet enough. The planet needs no encouragement to draw on the life that’s already made its home there. A small tug, nothing most would even notice, though Rey takes more from some than others. Buried in the sand on the outskirts of one city are the raiders who attempted to disturb her peace. It takes her only an easy pull and the sand collapses around them, claiming them and stealing away their energy. It joins the stream flowing into the Fields, lost in the tumult. </p><p>The Force gathered in the Fields swells until it’s nearly bursting at the seams, ready to spill over and drown the planet. Rey brims with satisfaction, still feeding it, body thrumming with the joy of holding the whole planet within her. </p><p>“<em>Rey</em>.” He says her name again, drawing her back to him. She holds all of him, tangled around him body and soul, and he refuses to let her leave him. He grinds his hips against hers, filling her as deep as she can take. His chest drags against hers and the ink smears between them. “<em>Let go</em>,” he whispers. </p><p>Her eyes flare open, meeting his, and he sees life itself in her burning gaze. His hips thrust against hers again, fucking her deep. Her eyelashes flutter and her lips curl. “<em>Yes,</em>” she agrees. </p><p>She licks into his mouth and it’s like tasting stardust. Her heels dig into his back as she urges him impossibly deeper, never letting him go far. He feels the endless potential of the Force held tight in her grip, and his cock swells with the dizzying thrill. He can’t hold on much longer. His head swims with all of Rey, all that she is, the power of the universe wrapped up in the gorgeous women moaning beneath him. </p><p>The telling first ripples of her climax tighten around him, and with an explosion of relief, Ben releases his tightly held control. Pleasure rushes down his spine and through his core. His balls clench, his cock thickens, and his hips jerk as he spills into her clenching channel. Rey cries out as her orgasm crashes over her. Her muscles spasm and across the planet, matter shifts as the Force bursts into new life. </p><p>They rock into each other as pleasure washes through them. It works through him in waves, and his hips jerk helplessly into hers with each jolt. She shudders underneath him before finally going still. The vines around him loosen and fall away, and her limbs go from clutching him to gently caressing. She nuzzles his face and lands a sloppy kiss on his jaw. He smiles and places a matching one on her cheek. </p><p>“Zhol kash dinora,” she says. <em>"It is done.”</em></p><p>His whole body feels limp and wrung out, but he makes the effort to fall to the side of Rey. She shifts and he feels the brush of metal, his post-orgasm brain struggling to keep up. He pushes himself up enough to reach between her legs and carefully pull his saber free of her. She sighs, almost sounding regretful. He drops it to the pile of clothing on the floor and half-collapses next to Rey on the altar. </p><p>“We’ll have to do that again,” she says, breath fanning across his face. A startled laugh breaks free of him. </p><p>“Give me a month to recover,” he groans, then leans over to gently kiss her lips. “Did it work?”</p><p>She takes his hand in hers and opens herself to Jakku. Through her, he feels the presence of a brand-new body of water, larger than the planet has seen in eons. It takes his breath away. “Incredible,” he whispers. </p><p>Rey brims with smug pride, and Ben can’t deny she deserves it. He rolls over to wrap his arms around her, burying his face in her neck. “You’re wonderful,” he tells her. She kisses him in response, tongue sweeping through his mouth. </p><p>They lay there like that, lazily kissing, then simply holding each other. Ben could easily fall asleep on the stone, but Rey pushes up and pulls her with him. </p><p>“Come on,” she urges.</p><p>He has to remember how to walk again, but he soon gets his feet under him and stumbles after her. She leads him away from the altar and down the steps out of the temple. The spirits of the past have been silenced for now, and all that’s left is the two of them stepping out into the field of wildflowers spilling across the plateau. The blooms here are only temporary, the inevitable overflow of the Force flowing between them, and he understands Rey doesn’t want to miss them while they last. </p><p>Rey brushes her hands over the flowers that seem to reach up to greet her, and their heady perfume fills the air, mingling with the smells of iron and sex. The sun has travelled down to meet the horizon while they were occupied, and its light now spills golden across the riot of colors filling the plain. It caresses Rey, catching on her bare skin and making her glow like the goddess she is. </p><p>Ben leans down and plucks a bunch of flowers, then turns and starts working them into the hair tangled about her face. She smiles up at him. Later they’ll sit and he’ll weave her hair into the braids of his mother’s homeworld, dotted with more of the flowers, but for now he likes her as she is, wild and smudged with ink.  </p><p>“My Rey,” he murmurs, not knowing how else to say all she is to him. </p><p>Her smile softens while her eyes darken with hunger. “My Ben,” she echoes. Her arms reach up to twine around his neck, and she pulls his mouth down to hers. </p><p>There’s no place he’d rather be.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I really hope this was what you were looking for midwinterspring! I tried to pull in a little bit from all your prompts, which were all excellent: little bit of power couple Reylo, a touch of monsters, hopefully a hint of gothic. The title is from Nikita Gill's "Girls of the Wild". I did start out trying to do sort of fantasy cyberpunk, but it turns out that's basically just Star Wars. I brought in a few of the tags you included as well, so with any luck it turned out okay!</p><p>Comments are always extremely appreciated &lt;3 And make sure to check out the rest of the collection! There are so many brilliant fics.</p>
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